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Head of Finance 
Adults & Public Health

£84,276 - £96,450 per annum
(pay award for 2023/24 pending)

Job Title: Head of Finance – Adults & Public Health

Department: Financial Management 

Section or Service: Business Partnering 

Grade: K

Responsible to: Director of Financial Management

Employees directly supervised: Up to 6 business partners depending on the service

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Job Purpose

Provide high-quality financial accounting, strategic management accounting and procurement advice to a major service within the council, including the relevant Lead Members, Strategic & Operational Directors, senior managers, and others, on behalf of the council’s finance function. 

 

Advise on all elements of strategic finance and planning on behalf of the department for the council’s business planning process, and the development and delivery of departmental projects including capital programmes. 

 

Strategically manage the relationship between the department and other bodies and other local authorities with regard to meeting the council’s financial remit and financial priorities. 

 

Advise on all major relevant contracts. Advising Council Members and Officers at all levels on an extensive range of financial issues covering procurement and contract letting.

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Description of duties

  • Work collaboratively with colleagues on the Senior Management Team, and make a proactive contribution delivering departmental and corporate objectives. 

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  • Lead and manage a portfolio of services in alignment with both corporate and departmental aims and priorities. 

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  • Provide leadership and management to achieve high performance and effective operational delivery; which will include managing the effective use of resources and staff. 

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  • Work closely with relevant Executive Directors and Directors to support effective working relationships with relevant portfolio holders. 

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  • Support and develop partnership working, including acting as an effective ambassador and advocate with external organisations. 

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  • Play a leading strategic service-focused role in the construction of the council’s revenue budget and capital programme, including providing advice to officers and members on the choices that need to be made. 

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  • Play a leading strategic role in the management of the Council’s financial position, including regular monitoring and reporting to Senior Officers and Members. 

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  • Contribute to the closure of accounts process and to ensure that the annual accounts are accurate and produced within statutory timescales. 

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  • Support the development of capital and revenue business cases from strategic outline to full business case delivery, through assessment of the financial and resource implications of options being considered in support and delivery of the Medium Term Financial Strategy for the directorate.  

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  • Develop and implement opportunities for maximising income.  

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  • Provide financial advice and the modelling of financial implications for key projects and programmes, including the development of business cases and long term financial projects. 

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  • Where required, provide financial advice on the financial position of key partners to inform Council decisions. 

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  • Deliver high quality, efficient financial services and regulations to support the delivery of corporate aims and objectives, ensuring at all times that the interests and responsibilities of the S151 officer are properly observed and complied with.  

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  • Lead responsibility for ensuring the financial skills of finance and non finance staff across the council are at a level which ensures effective financial management and support within the authority. 

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  • Represent the Director of Financial Management at meetings of the Leadership Team, or other Committees and member lead meetings as required. 

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  • Plan the delivery of financial management, financial reporting, financial advice and support to the lead members, Strategic and Operational Directors, departmental service heads, capital programme managers, budget holders and others as required covering both short and long term financial planning to benefit the delivery of the services to the Council. 

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  • Represent the Council on high value contract panels and major project teams across the council. This will include panels which comprise of Members, Strategic and Operational Directors and officers from other bodies and councils. 

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  • Represent the Council on in key strategic meeting relevant to the role, including partnership boards.  

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  • Advise teams of officers and Members, across the Council, on the most cost effective way to deliver the service and work with them to deliver that contract. During this process, the post holder will provide a range of specialist advice including: undertaking option appraisal modelling, ensuring all service options are considered, to financially evaluate them, to advise on its outcome and to recommend a preferred option. 

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  • Calculate unit costs for the purposes of making cost comparisons for different tenders. To advise on the impact of variable and fixed cost influences on those tenders. 

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  • Prepare affordability & VFM financial models. They will use base budgets to calculate affordability levels and, in circumstances where there are affordability issues, the post holder will advise on the necessary course of action, involving recommending revised levels of service operation. 

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  • Participate in contract negotiation with those companies/individuals submitting tenders by leading on behalf of the council on all financial issues. 

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  • Develop a strategy to ensure the finance team can support all services of the department in providing best value and maximising efficient use of financial resources, both in terms of revenue and capital expenditure, over both the short and long term. 

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  • Provide relevant financial implications, input or commentary to all reports produced for the Leadership Team, scrutiny, council assembly, and other formal council meetings, and any reports required for external bodies. 

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  • Devise and ensure delivery of a comprehensive programme of financial monitoring reports to allow effective monitoring and planning by managers at both a strategic and operational level on all aspects of the use of financial resources (revenue and capital). 

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  • Provide advice to Strategic and Operational Directors, and departmental service heads on all aspects of budget forecasting during the business year and ensure, on behalf of the department, all forecasts as far as practicably possible are accurate and robust. 

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  • Foster a consistent cross One Council culture by ensuring that Council’s overall vision, values and ethos are central to the approach taken. 

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  • Manage and lead staff to achieve high performance and effective operational.

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  • delivery, including developing and improving staff capability. 

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  • Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and all employees are required to act in such a way that at all times safeguards the health and well being of children and vulnerable adults. 

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  • Carry out duties with due regard to the council’s customer care; equal opportunities; information governance, data protection and health and safety policies and procedures. 

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  • Undertake any other duties commensurate with the general level of responsibility of this post. 

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Person Specification

Conditions to Note

 

Candidates:  

When completing your application form, please address your answers directly to each of the selection criteria below. This enables the panel to assess your ability to meet each criterion. It is essential that you give at least one example of your ability to meet each of the four Values and Behaviours: Putting Communities First, Respect, Integrity and Working Together.  

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Recruiting Managers:  

The following values and behaviours are essential criteria in each post and must be addressed directly by candidates. The Guidance Notes on values and behaviours for managers give example questions to probe candidates in the interview and application stages of the recruitment process.

 

Values & Behaviours:

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has identified four key behaviours and values that should be demonstrated by all council employees. Successful candidates will show the ability to meet these behaviours. Candidates applying for managerial/leadership roles should also demonstrate two additional leadership behaviours. 

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Equal Opportunities

Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Council policies in relation to Equal Opportunity, Customer Care and service delivery, and the ability to implement these policies in the workplace.

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Qualifications

Essential:

  • Educated to degree level or equivalent 

  • Qualified Accountant (Preferably CIPFA) 

  • Evidence of significant relevant Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

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Skills, Experience and Attitude  

  • Extensive knowledge of: 

    • accounting principles, policies and practices 

    • the council’s budget processes and requirements 

    • various forms of local government funding 

    • the Government’s funding regime, grant calculation and factors affecting the council’s allocation.

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  • Awareness of commercial contract negotiations, including sub contract relationships

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  • Knowledge of the major factors, influences and legislation facing local government 

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  • A working knowledge of project management methodology, EU procurement and VAT requirements 

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  • Track record of achievement at a management level in a similarly large and complex organisation including:

    • delivering customer focused services and service improvements managing demands and pressures on the service and tight deadlines 

    • ensuring that the service is effectively resourced to deliver to the required standard 

    • planning for a minimum of one year anticipating priorities, changing landscape and predict the future service; 

    • preparing business cases and commercial rates of return on various opportunities working as part of the part of the top management team; 

    • delivering radical new ideas which lead to major change in the organisation, services offered and the wider political landscape. 

    • implementing business process transformation projects and delivering financial saving. including opportunities to maximise income. 

    • delivering a holistic approach to business, with understanding of importance  of service and operational functions in both local government and commercial operations; 

    • managing and implementing the financial arrangements for outsourced operations working in partnership with partnering organisations; 

    • implementing financial systems and integrating with operational and customer databases. 

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Our values & behaviours

Putting Communities First

  • We put local people at the heart of decision making in everything we do.

  • We seek to include and involve: all voices matter.

  • We provide quality services that are responsive, effective and efficient.

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The following examples are indicators of effective behaviour:

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  • I actively involve and include the communities that I serve in my work.

  • I shall reflect the views of the communities in my daily work.

  • I shall improve the service I provide through seeking feedback from others.

 

Our residents will feel that:

 

  • I have been included

  • I can see how my views have been taken into account

  • I can see improvements and developments based on my input

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Respect

  • We listen to everyone and value the personal experiences of people in our communities and of each other.

  • We adopt a fair, and involving approach regardless of any way in which an individual is different to us.

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The following examples are indicators of effective behaviour:

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  • I adapt my approach to take account of all differences and cultures in the community and with colleagues.

  • I ensure I am equitable and fair by including those who are quiet or may not be able to represent themselves.

  • I communicate in a way that is respectful, encourages involvement and meets people’s needs.

 

Our residents will feel that:

 

  • I feel my culture and background are respected.

  • I have confidence that action is being taken.

  • I feel I am being treated fairly.

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Integrity

  • We act with openness, honesty, compassion, responsibility and humility.

  • We let people know what we are doing and communicate why and how decisions have been made.

 

The following examples are indicators of effective behaviour:

 

  • I demonstrate empathy in my interactions with others.

  • I am honest and transparent about the decisions I take.

  • I follow through on the actions I say I will take and take ownership for communicating the outcome.

 

Our residents will feel that:

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  • I am told when something is not possible and the reasons why are explained to me.

  • I feel my perspective is listened to and understood.

  • I feel my views are valued 

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Working Together

  • We work together and in partnership with everyone that has an impact on the lives of our residents.

  • We want to understand, learn from each other and continually adapt.

 

The following examples are indicators of effective behaviour:

 

  • I work with others to provide an effective service for residents, local communities and other departments within the Council.

  • I seek ways to work with other departments to deliver a seamless service and find opportunities to improve.

  • I seek out opportunities to learn from my colleagues and build on good practice.

 

Our residents will feel that:

 

  • I can get my issue resolved without being passed around departments.

  • I find it easy to access the services that I need.

  • I feel the Council is open to new ideas.

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